How long does a leisure battery last

If at home, leave it off charge most of the time but with an occasional top-up, say, once per month. If the battery is discharged then use a high quality charger to recharge. This usually means disconnecting from the van and using a separate leisure battery charger unless you have a van with an intelligent system like Sargent.

Unless you regularly use sites without EHU then you should get around years. Many people get more. I have a Numax 86ah battery which I purchased for my last caravan in I have it connected to a Ctex charger. It also works well whwn using the motor mover, so next March it will be 6 years old. I would agree that 5 yrs is about average but it really does depend on many factors. Keeping it charged will be no 1 and not letting it discharge. Since I had my SP roof fitted I have never had to take the batteries out and mess about!

The flow of electrons in and out of the battery helps to prevent sulpation of the plates so I am told by someone who knows about these things. And if you allow the battery to run down flat, then you cause internal damage and compromise its lifespan.

If you have solar panels fitted to your van, then this is another excellent way to keep your battery charged through the winter. Instead, feed the power through a regulator or charge controller. Coming back on when the charge level drops again.

These are better than nothing, but not efficient. The best type of charge controller uses a technology called maximum power point tracking MPPT. This system is far more sophisticated and attains charge levels in the 90 to 95 per cent range. Your leisure battery provides the power for all your 12V equipment in your van. This battery provides a regular level of power over longer periods of time.

They differ from a car battery in the way they deliver power. Your battery transforms your caravan from just a vehicle into a home on wheels, by powering lights, a TV, stoves, running water, showers, you get the idea. The majority are lead-acid batteries. The rate at which they self-discharge depends on their age and manufacture. There are newer innovations in battery design coming to the market. Gel Battery — this battery type has gel in place of the acid. With no acid inside, these are safer.

For now, they are only available in imported caravans. AGM Battery — Absorbent Glass Mat batteries comprise lead plates and compressed glass fibre in each cell, filters the acid inside a battery, making it tougher in use.

Extending the lifespan of the battery. Maintenance-Free Battery — The normal lead-acid battery requires topping up. But with these newer maintenance-free versions, they are a sealed unit and need not be topped-up.

There are numerous things affecting the performance of your battery. One important factor you must take notice of is a rotten egg or sulphurous smell coming from your battery and be boiling to the touch. This is a sign of overcharging your battery and permanent damage is imminent. The unpleasant smell is gasses being released from your battery, and there is a danger of the gases exploding. You need to act, but do not detach the battery from its charger, before you disengage the charger from mains power, under any circumstances.

In summary, you now have a great deal more information about caravan leisure batteries and hope we have answered your question about how long does a leisure battery last. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. About FAQ Sites. Air Awnings.

For lights I use the the v low energy 7watt bulbs from Tesco at 10p each. I can power a fan, the 3 way fridge set on v and even a microwave, all with free electric. No EHU charges and can even camp wild. It keeps up with demand purely by charging when ever there's a smidgeon of light i. So far, we've never run out on an 85 amp hour battery, we travel around a bit, I'm anticipating 3, miles around Eastern Europe over the next 3 weeks so the battery gets a good charge while moving and a trickle charge in the daylight.

Is it me or do these forums attract the glass half empty brigade? If I took what I read here as gospel I wouldn't set foot in a tent and stick to hotels. Campers are you'd hope optimistic, experimenters and problem solvers. In order to post a reply you will need to register , or if already registered please log in here. Platinum Member. Standard Member.

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